


Don't you know that some things are better left alone?

by sparrovvs



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Drarry, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hogwarts Third Year, M/M, Short One Shot, yeah its that but draco finds him instead of ron and hermoine, you know the one scene where harry finds out about siruis and then cries in the forest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 22:44:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20590337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sparrovvs/pseuds/sparrovvs
Summary: Harry raised his voice and broke the quiet of the forest, anguish filling his voice. It didn’t make sense to Draco, yet the emotion behind it drowned out the need for any detail. It was too open and once more the feeling of ‘I’m not supposed to see this’ swallowed him. This broke every norm of their entire relation. Potter was a mere annoyance in his everyday life. An easy target, something he could complain about and put blame upon when things happened.And now he was crying before him, vulnerable and near trembling with unbridled distress.





	Don't you know that some things are better left alone?

The wind howled ruthlessly through the old wood of the Shrieking Shack, it’s abandoned walls wailing for attention. From nearby the haphazardly made wooden fence some yards away where the winter weather was more merciful, the building sounded even more haunted than usual. Of course, Draco had never believed any of the tales and myths that surrounded it. He wasn’t seven years old and gullible enough to be fearful of such things, that would be ridiculous. So as he stood leaning against one of the many barren trees that circled the area he didn’t shiver from anything other than the intense chill in the air. 

Usually there would be another slytherin at either of his sides, whether it be Crabbe and Goyle with their clumsy lumbering steps, or Pansy and her friends. As annoying as most of them were. Pansy herself was nice to be around. Most of the Slytherin students had made their stay had Hogsmead centered around the Three Broomsticks or other warmier, cozier places. Normally Draco would have agreed with such priorities and be sat with the others, coddling a butterbeer and listening to the others joke and discuss whatever assignments they were all dreading or dutifully procrastinating. 

It seemed like the older he grew, the less interested he was in spending so much time doing such things. They were… trivial. Pointless. When you had your father breathing down your back to get flawless grades there was no room for slacking on any assignments - and while he wouldn’t ever outwardly say so, there was something to say for the studies they were given. He actually found he liked it, having his nose pressed between the pages of books in the library or practicing spells in his free time. There had always been an unspoken expectation from his family with their name and heritage; he was meant for greatness, and greatness was what would come from him. 

That and… the darker aspects of his family’s history that had been slowly revealed to him the older he became. Sometimes it was difficult to focus on the fanciful pranks and pestering when those types of things loomed overhead. 

Being alone, being in the quiet, it had its advantages. The afternoon sun was dull over the forest that had been deadened by the freezing weather, and it had been silent up until that very moment. The crisp yet clumsy sound of rushed footsteps over fresh snow came up upon the clearing, along with the shaking of pine branches being brushed past. A quick look around didn’t reveal anything. No one could be seen at all, even though the noises drew closer from somewhere to his side. Blocked by trees, maybe? Draco peeked around the tree trunk he’d been lounged against to find a whole lot more nothing. Except… Tracks. Crystal clear footsteps were left in the snow leading perfectly to a boulder in the midst of the forestry. 

Draco’s slim, dark brows knitted together in a look of confusion. He didn’t dare step any further out without knowing what was going on, or what he was actually facing. From where he stood he was still a good few feet from where the footsteps had stopped, but that was just enough for him to pick up on the soft, muffled sounds that started up. Whoever was there had concealed themselves, no doubt with a Disillusionment Charm on themselves. They probably thought no one would be there to notice the tracks left behind. Careless… 

He listened as closely as he could while wondering just how risky it would be to try and flee in another direction. He’d been raised to know the danger in facing forces unknown, and knew how stupid it would be to leave cover without being sure that there was no way the person could get a clear shot at him. The trees would offer some coverage, but not completely. As quietly as humanly possible he reached inside the pocket of his jumper and wrapped a hand around the handle of his wand, the pad of his thumb rubbing thoughtfully over the smooth wood. Expelliarmus shaped itself silently on his lips, preparing to shout it at a moments notice if needed. 

After a full minute of just waiting, it became very clear that whoever it was didn’t have any plans of moving. The longer he stayed, the longer the gentle sounds from the clearing also became increasingly familiar. He wasn’t sure if he had heard them before, but he’d figured out that it was someone crying some time ago. Now it just happened that he was so sure it was someone he had heard before. It was male, or perhaps just a girl with a deeper voice. He racked his brain trying to think about it until it was just too annoying. 

With his wand still held tightly, he huffed out a breath before turning to leave the cover of the tree. His jaw was set, grey eyes steely as he stared at the spot where the person sat invisible. A few steps were taken in order to intimidate. 

He didn’t have a chance to say anything before a sharp gasp of breath came from the other. Whoever it was stood from the boulder, the snow on the forest floor moving with the motion. The quietest of swears followed, and it all clicked together.

“Potter?” Draco asked with a sneer of disbelief. 

There was no verbal response, or any further movement. Only a slight sniff and the whisper of sound of fabric shifting. So he hadn’t cast the charm on himself… It only took a few more steps to be able to reach out far enough for Draco’s hand to brush against a soft fabric, the air there shimmering as the charm adapted to keep the other concealed. His fingers grasped onto the fabric and pulled, easily tugging it off to reveal the familiar head of messy brown hair and metal glasses that framed Harry’s face. The rest of his figure followed. 

Potter made a point not to look at him, or even look upwards from the ground, for that matter. Another subtle sniff followed, and for a second Draco thought about just shoving the now visible cloak back at him and letting him have his privacy. Almost. 

“What’s this? Perfect Potter, breaking the rules again?” He jeered, knowing full well that Harry hadn’t given in his permission forms in order to leave the school grounds. He’d made a comment about it with Crabbe and Goyle on the way to Hogsmeade earlier that day. 

Harry’s head snapped up at that. His expression was cross as ever, but his green eyes were filled with glossy tears that threatened to spill over. “Come off it, Malfoy.” He spat back. 

Shit. Awkwardly, Draco stood with the cloak in one hand and his wand in a loosened grip in the other, trying to come up with something to say in retort. In his three years of vexing Potter at any possibility and pulling any chances to make fun of him and his friends, he’d never actually seen him upset. Not  _ actually  _ upset. Angry, yes. Not this. 

“Are you…” He started the stopped, glancing away to think. After a second he shoved the cloak to Harry’s chest. “Not my fault you’re… Whatever.” 

Not his best line. Something about using a more cutting jab seemed wrong. He’d come upon a moment that he definitely wasn’t meant to. Taunting him when he was already upset wouldn’t do anything in either of their favors.    


“...Right. Thanks.” Harry muttered as he took the cloak back. 

“Stupid place to cry.” He said. Crossing his arms over his chest, he shifted stiffly. 

A wet scoff came from Harry. “Didn’t think I ever asked your opinion on it, did I?” 

“Well excuse me for asking. You’re the one out here looking like this.” Grey eyes roll in annoyance.

Harry folded the cloak over his arm and smoothed it out, as if restless. He still sounded a mix of angry and upset. “Not like you care. Just screw off.” 

Something about it irked him. He looked Harry over again. He was in a jacket overtop a dark jumper, his hair looking like it needed a cut and his glasses slightly fogged from his own breath in the chilly air. Tears clung to his eyelashes and his cheeks were blotchy with a blush of reddish pink. “What happened?”

The brash question grabbed the other’s attention. A look of suspicion took over his features with the barest hint of confusion. “What?” 

“What happened?” Draco asked again, enunciating each syllable as if talking to someone distinctly daft. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was asking, but it felt like the right thing to do. 

Harry looked away stubbornly, lips pursing as if trying to decide whether or not to answer the question. It didn’t really make sense for Draco to be asking in the first place, so he couldn’t really blame the guy from thinking it was some sort of trick. He didn’t know his motivation himself. The seconds the drew out while Harry took his time to answer. 

“It’s not-” His jaw flexed, anger clear. “He was their friend… and he betrayed them. He was their  _ friend! _ ” Harry raised his voice and broke the quiet of the forest, anguish filling his voice. It didn’t make sense to Draco, yet the emotion behind it drowned out the need for any detail. It was too open and once more the feeling of ‘I’m not supposed to see this’ swallowed him. This broke every norm of their entire relation. This wasn’t within the terms of their rivalry, as Draco’s mind liked to supply him with as the label for their relationship to one another. Not that there was a relationship. Potter was a mere annoyance in his everyday life. An easy target, something he could complain about and put blame upon when things happened. A scapegoat. A prick who got far too much attention for the most idiotic reasons when he wasn’t… He wasn’t anything special. 

And now he was crying before him, vulnerable and near trembling with unbridled distress. 

“I hope he finds me. Because when he does, I’m gonna be ready. When he does, I’m gonna kill him!” Harry continued. Brilliant green eyes stayed locked on Draco, seering into him with the promise of violence, and yet somehow it was as if Draco wasn’t there at all. It wasn’t meant for him, the anger directed at another source completely unlike when they had their usual quarrels with one another. Harry had never looked at him with such genuine fury. He’d never looked so exquisitely wrathful. Whatever had gotten such a reaction from him was so much more than just a petty rivalry. 

“Okay…” Draco breathed out. Harry’s anger had put a stopper on his ridiculing tendencies. He was still slightly shell shocked from how those emerald eyes had him pinned on the spot, looking ready to lash out and pull through on that threat then and there. Something in Draco’s stomach flipped airily. 

“Sorry, I-”

“No.” Draco shook his head and cut off whatever bullshit apology was about to come from Potter. He passed by Harry and took a seat on the rock, uninvited. His wand was put safely back inside his pants pocket so his hands could rest in his lap, shoulders loose and slouching. “Don’t.” 

He could feel Harry’s gaze on him even without looking over, but there was no argument. After a moment’s hesitation, Harry sat back down beside him and let out a heavy breath. It sounded as if the entire world was being carried on his back. Maybe it was… Draco shook the thought from his head as soon as it had arrived. He wasn’t about to start feeling bad for Potter of all people. Never. 

The silence from before settled back over the forest to the point where the soft whirls of wind could be heard from between the thick trees again. At some point during their interaction a small flurry of snow had started to fall and made the sky even more dim, greyed out by the small flakes of snow. The air nipped at his fingertips so Draco shoved his hands into his pockets. They sat there together without comment, and when Harry leaned over to rest against his shoulder he almost jumped out of his skin. His chest tightened in a way he didn’t want to acknowledge, and when he glanced over to see Harry’s cheek squished against his jumper he further ignored the little tweak of feeling it caused. The anger had seemingly drained from him and left him looking more exhausted than anything. Somehow, Draco could understand. Things were… difficult. 

He let himself lean back into Harry, the other’s messy hair brushing his jaw. 

Once Harry left it was without a word. The next day at school, they met eyes with each other before Pansy threw an insult at the three Gryffindors. Draco had to look away as he laughed along. 

**Author's Note:**

> So it's 2019 and I'm here, just now finally getting into drarry. rip.


End file.
